Before your child joins a kindergarten, he/she must know a few things in order to adapt to what is taught. Ofcourse, the child could be admitted to a pre-kindergarten before but even if you choose to admit the child straight into kindergarten, he/she must have basic understanding of certain things and should be able to adjust in a new environment. The following is a list of the most essential things your child must know before kindergarten:
Speaking
Your child must be able to speak clearly so that anyone can understand him/her. He/she should be able to relate experiences with understanding of events.
Listening
The child must be able to listen with understanding and should be able to follow step by step instructions. He/she must listen to stories with interest and show interest in reading-related activities. They must be able to retell stories with basic information.
Writing
As far as writing is concerned, the child must be able to use pictures to communicate ideas and should be able to draw shapes, scribbles and symbols.
Alphabet Knowledge
The child must have knowledge of alphabets and should be able to listen to and recite both uppercase and lowercase alphabets.
Numbers
The child must be able to recite numbers till 20 and must be able to count things till atleast 10 before being admitted into kindergarten. He/she should be able to identify written numbers as well.
Measurement
The child must have basic understanding of big/small and comparisons between tall/short, short/long, slow/fast, few/many and others.
Physical Skills
The child must be able to jump, pedal, balance on one foot, climb ladders, throw and catch balls, hop and skip smoothly.
Fine Motor Skills
The child must be able to grasp pencils, solve simple puzzles, use glue stick, play with clay, stack blocks and cut construction papers.
Colors and Art
The child must be able to identify colors, use color pencils and crayons and should be able to use other art materials for several different activities.
Shapes and Geometry
The child must be able to identify and name the 4 main shapes-circles, square, triangle and rectangle.
Interaction with Others
Your child must be able to interact with others, share things, play with other children and participate in group activities.
Every child is different. Your child must possess most of these traits before being admitted to a kindergarten but don’t expect him/her to know each one of these expertly.
